Magna -Thomson International Movers

I used a magna Thomson from Cape Town. They also go by the name Stuttafords van lines or Lazer transport.
My point of contact regained after 8 accepted the quote over the festive season. I was not informed. Communication ended. I eventually got hold of them a few days prior to the arranged date to pack u0 my home. It's was a mad rush. The packing team were fantastic so no issues there.
Then was months of no contract with the appointed clearing agent discharge destination. I could not ship my goods until the clearing agent gave the go ahead. Eventually after much frustration MT appointed a different clearing agent. On the face of it I had a point of contact. This started to progress. I then had to have a meeting with port customs to hand over my passport and other documents in my new country. I arrived alone and was met by a gentleman who informed me he had just been appointed by the local clearing agent to assist with the formalities. Discovered the new clearing agents had never worked with this gentleman before and he had never worked with them or Magna Thomson before. Needless to say all documents were a shambles. This adding over 2 weeks before my goods could be delivered to me.
On delivery day, although I had repeatedly told the shippers I had some extremely heavy items the send 2 x people to unpack my 40ft container ans 1 driver only arriving at my new home just before 2pm.
The contact states they do all the unpacking and set up if furniture etc. The individuals looked like they were batteling from the get go. I asked if they had worked for the company for a long time to he told it was the 1st day. I worked ( 56 yr old woman) shoulder to shoulder with these 2 guys well into the night unloading the smaller tuck loads that my goods were transfered into.
As each item was unloaded I saw that heavy items were put on top of boxes marked fragile. Boxes with arrows saying this way up were anyway but the correct way up. Damage after damage after destroyed items emerged out of these trucks.
This is were the real nightmare began. I spent 2 full months trying to get my insurance claim sorted out. I was advised to take Magna Thomson insurance on my goods prior to packing up my home. I did this at great expense.
The delays and exclusions were ongoing. I had no support from them, infact they made me feel like a criminal during this 2 month ordeal trying to get a settlement on the insurance. Finally I had to escalate this to the underwriters. In the end i accepted a far lower amount than my claim as I just wanted this nightmare to end. To add insult to injury it took MT another full week to make payment after the settlement was reached. There were various other smaller issues throughout this ordeal that I have not mentioned as it would make this review way longer than it already is.
I need to reiterate that this was Magna Thomson Cape Town. Friends on the island have used MT Jhb and Kzn with no issues.

Not too impressed. This was a long time ago (2015). My son asked me for the name of the company who moved my belongings from SA abroad. It brough back the bad experience I had with them. Which now I will write about as a warning for others.

My expensive camera equipment I had packed myself in a plastic air & water tight container. This in turn was packed by the companies packers into one of their boxes and sealed. At the time of packing I asked the packers if this was okay (me to pack in to my own container). They advised that it was.

Long story short at the time of unpacking, I could not find my camera equipment. Only then did I see on the packing list that their box containing my camera equipment was marked "packed by owner".

Needless to say I tried to claim for this but after many months of backwards and forwards was unsuccessful with very little help/support from Magna.

So be warned and check what is written by the packers.

The packers were amazing and the staff lovely. BUT they delivered my shipment 5 weeks late!!! All their competitors work in a 8 to 10 week lead time from SA to UK, but Magna Thompson say 5. I queried this 3 times and each time their sales person told me it was fine. I understand delays but they give you a lead time to get you to support them. My advice DONT, if I did this again I would go with Elliot’s who were much more transparent with costs and lead times. I have never had an apology from Magna Thompson on the late delivery!

We used Magna Thompson in Durban, as relocated to Dubai. Caroline was very attentive and the staff on the day were professional. They packed everything carefully and nothing was damp or wet in the container.

Excellent service

Excellent service

Excellent service

I had such excellent service from Yvonne at Magna Thomson in Johannesburg.
She responded to me immediately with replies to every email, and was a pleasure to deal with.
Nettie who was also involved - was also extremely efficient.
The rate I was quoted was way less than 3 other companies who also quoted.
My furniture was packed up and shipped to Perth.

This was an excellent and well organized move.

Our goods arrived in excellent condition. Packing and unpacking was done very professionally.

The worst experience we have had as a family.

At first we thought the company is a reliable and professional company then as they started packing we stood by to see they do take care of our goods as we decided to take only all sentimental goods as it was expensive.
So they packed all and left in a professional way and promised our good will arrive end January beginning of February so we felt at ease .

Unfortunately that all was fake!!!!

Firstly our goods only arrived in May with a huge disappointment that almost half of all our stuff was stolen out of the boxes and in so professional way that it was hard to see on the outside, picked it up after start packing out and realized something was wrong all valuables and most sentimental goods was gone with lots of shoes, clothes, sports gear, tools, kids clothes, their toys and much much more.
Funny enough it was placed over original boxes were the one guy only wrote on all boxes to the same company boxes with other hand writing on, goods was replace with the same company packing papers and they cut out the good stickers on outside of box and taped over on new boxes.

So we reported it with all the evidence and they said their is no way possible we must put in claim for insurance we did pay insurance.
Not that insurance will give as the sentimental stuff back.

So we done that and they refuse to pay out all goods that is gone and make us out to be the criminals.

Relocation to BC Canada

Excellent planning. Competitively priced. Very pleasant experience allround.

TERRIBLE - worst expereince ever.

Worst service ever. Got quoted on a price, paid it, then had to pay again - basically double - as they literally kept my things ransom and used BREXIT as an excuse for all the extra charges. and it still has not arrived. 2 and a half months later.

HONESTLY RIDICULOUS and I am going to take them to court.

Magna -Thomson International Movers

Simple, straightforward move, nothing broken, nothing stolen, lots of communication.

Magna -Thomson International Movers

The move is still in process with goods having been collected today 12 September 2014. Sum total of my experience with Magna-Thomson thus far has been fabulous - Michelle Blomefield who came to quote for the shipping and who has guided me through the documentation and collection process, is a gem - friendly, helpful and supportive. The supervisor and packers who arrived this morning were pleasant from the start, they introduced themselves and proceeded quickly to wrap and pack all my daughter and son-in-law's belongings in a caring, thorough and professional way, which is comforting and inspires confidence. Goods are now en-route to the warehouse in Durban, from where they will be shipped to the UK. I have the utmost trust that they will arrive in Yarnton safely !! So glad I chose Magna-Thomson - Lyn Small, Pietermaritzburg KZN : ))